Tagal Literature.
Tagal literature does not amount to very much, and the policy of the Government of late years has been to teach Spanish as well as the native dialects in the schools. This did not meet the approval of the old school of priests; but many of the younger ones have accepted the Government view. In the Exhibition of the Philippines, Madrid, 1887, Don Vicente Barrantes showed twenty volumes of grammars and vocabularies of the Philippine dialects, and thirty-one volumes of popular native poetry, besides two volumes of native plays. The Reverend Father Raimundo Lozano exhibited twenty-eight volumes of religious works in the Visayas-Panayano dialect, and the Reverend Father Francisco Valdez a study of the roots of the Ilocan dialect in manuscript. Many works in the native dialects have been written by the Spanish priests, such as one by the Reverend Father Manuel Blanco, the learned author of the ‘Flora Filipina,’ of which I give the title and the first verse:—
| Tagaloc verses to assist in dying well. | “Manga dalit na Tagalog at pagtulong sa mamaluatay na tanang Cristiana.” |
Manila, 1867, VIII., 62 pag 8o.
“Aba bumabasa baquin baga caya
Tila camuntima i nata cang bohala.”
I now give the title of a secular poem in English and Tagal, that the reader may compare the words and note the subject:—
| Story of the life of the beauteous shepherdess Jacobina, a native of Moncada, who became the wife of the King, Policarpio de Villar, in the kingdom of Dalmatia, and bore a son named Villardo. | “Salita at buhay nang marilang na pastora na si Jacobina tubo sa Villa Moncada Naguing asáua nang Policarpio de Villar sa cabarian nang Dalmacia nagga roon nang isang supligna anac ang pangaia i si Villardo.” |
The poem begins—
“O maamong Ester mananalong Judit
Mariang linanag nitong sang daigdig.”
and concludes—
“Panang nang pupuri ang lahat nang cabig
Sa yanang inaguling ang tinamo i sangit.”
I do not think it is necessary to quote any more, as this gives the reader sufficient idea of the language.
There is much that is good in the Tagal, much to like and admire. Antonio de Morga, Sinibaldo de Mas, Tomás de Comyn, Paul de la Gironière, Jagor, Bowring, Palgrave, Foreman, Stevens, Worcester—all have some good to say of him, and with reason. But the piratical blood is strong in him yet. He requires restraint and guidance from those who have a higher standard for their actions than he has. Left to himself he would infallibly relapse into savagery. At the same time he will not be governed by brute force, and under oppression or contumelious treatment he would abandon the plains, retire to the mountains, and lead a predatory life. Although not just himself nor truthful, he can recognise and revere truth and justice in a master or governor. Courageous himself, only a courageous man can win his respect. He is grateful,[5] and whoever can secure his reverence and gratitude will have no trouble in leading him.
I have testified to the Tagal’s excellence in many handicrafts and callings, yet I greatly doubt whether they have the mental and moral equipment for any of the professions. I should not like to place my affairs in the hands of a Tagal lawyer, to trust my life in the hands of a Tagal doctor, nor to purchase an estate on the faith of a Tagal surveyor’s measurement.
I do not say that they are all untrustworthy, nor that they can never become fit for the higher callings, but they are not fit for them now, and it will take a long time, and a completely changed system of education, before they can become fit.
What they want are examples of a high type of honour and morality that they could look up to and strive to imitate. There are such men in America. Whether they will be sent to the Philippines is best known to Mr. McKinley.
[1] The Blachang of the Malays.
[2] Pristiophoridæ.
[3] Raiidæ.
[4] ’Comentarios Réales.’ Garcilasso Inca de la Vega.
[5] Some ridiculous person has stated in a magazine article that they have no word in Tagal equivalent to Thank you. This is not true, for the word Salamat is the exact equivalent.
Chapter XXV.
Pampangos (2).
The Pampangos are close neighbours of the Tagals. They inhabit the rich and fertile province of Pampanga and a large part of that of Tarlac. There are also some detached colonies of them in the towns of Bataán, Nueva Écija, Pangasinán, and Zambales. The population of Pampanga is given in the census of 1876 as 226,000. Allowing one-half the population of Tarlac to belong to this race, we have to add 41,000, and supposing one-tenth the population of Bataán, Nueva Écija, and Zambales, to be Pampangos, say 27,000, we get 294,000 as their number in 1876. Doubtless they have largely increased since then. The Pampangos speak a different language from the Tagals, yet they can understand each other to some extent. Many of the better class speak both languages. The Pampango does not greatly differ from the Tagal in appearance or character, but his environment and his occupations are different. He is not so much a sailor, a fisherman, or a mechanic. He excels in agriculture, is a good organiser of labour, rides well, is a good hunter, and makes a bold and determined soldier. Large numbers of this war-like race have fought under the Spanish flag against the Mahometan princes of the Moluccas, of Mindanao, and Sulu, as also against the British and the Dutch. Pampangos as Cultivators.
The towns of San Fernando, Guágua Bacolor, Mexico, Angeles, Candaba, and many others have been built up by Pampanga industry. They contain many fine houses, where the European traveller is sure of a hospitable reception.
The staple crop of Pampanga is sugar, and I shall explain their organisation for its cultivation and manufacture.
In Luzon the land is usually cultivated under an arrangement known as Aparceria.
The conditions of Aparceria vary according to the locality, and to established custom, since on the land near a town a smaller share is given to the cultivator than on land near the forests, where if he were not satisfied he might commence to clear land for himself. Also the land near the towns is more valuable than that at a distance for various reasons.
The following is an example of the terms usual in Pampanga. The land-owner provides:
- A. Cleared land ready for the plough.
- B. Sugar-cane points for the first planting.
- C. Sugar-mill, boiling-pans and the building for same.
- D. Money advances to keep the cultivator and his family, and for taking off the crop.
- E. Carts for carrying the cane to the mill.
The cultivator, or inquilino, provides:
- 1. His labour and that of his family for ploughing, planting and cultivating the cane and fencing the plantations.
- 2. The ploughs and implements of husbandry.
- 3. The cattle (water buffaloes) for the above labours and for working the mill if it is a cattle mill.
The money advanced to the cultivator by the land-owner is charged 20 per cent. per annum interest.
For a daily task of 9 pilones from cattle-mills or 10 pilones from steam-mills there are employed:
| 2 Labourers to cut cane | at 25 cents and food | .50 cents. |
| 1 Carter | at 25 cents and food | .25 |
| 2 Mill attendants | at 25 cents and food | .50 |
| Sugar boiler and fireman | at 25 cents and food | .75 |
| 1 Megass carrier | at 25 cents and food | .25 |
| —— | ||
| Mexican dollars | 2.25 | |
| Or 25 cents per pilon. | ||